Sentencing: Appeals

Edward Garnier: To ask the Solicitor-General how many appeals against all sentences on the grounds of undue leniency the Attorney-General has made in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Vera Baird: The Attorney-General's Office publishes annual statistics on unduly lenient sentence references on its website
	www.attorneygeneral.gsi.gov.uk.
	The following table shows the number of offenders whose sentences were referred to the Court of Appeal as unduly lenient, the number of offenders whose references were subsequently withdrawn and the number of offenders who were therefore brought before the Court of Appeal in each of the last five years for which full statistics have been published.
	
		
			   2002  2003  2004  2005  2006 
			 Offenders referred to Court of Appeal 148 102 159 127 160 
			 Withdrawn references 9 6 22 19 16 
			 Offenders brought to the Court of Appeal 139 96 137 108 144

Sentencing: Appeals

Edward Garnier: To ask the Solicitor-General how many appeals against the minimum tariff applied in cases of indeterminate sentences for public protection on the grounds of undue leniency the Attorney-General has made in each year since that sentence became available to the courts.

Vera Baird: The Attorney-General's Office publishes annual statistics on unduly lenient sentence references on its website
	www.attorneygeneral.gsi.gov.uk.
	The following table shows the number of offenders whose sentences were referred to the Court of Appeal on the basis that the minimum term attached to a sentence of imprisonment for public protection (under section 225 (3) of the Criminal Justice Act 2003) was unduly lenient in each of the years when the sentence was available to the court and for which full statistics have been published.
	
		
			   Offenders referred 
			 2005(1) 0 
			 2006 2 
			 (1) The legislation came into force on 4 April 2005 and applies to offences committed from that date

Political Parties: Finance

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission what research the Electoral Commission has conducted into local spending in constituencies by party organisations with incomes of below £25,000 a year.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that, in 2004 and in 2007, it canvassed all registered accounting units to inquire as to whether their total income or gross expenditure was greater than £25,000 for the prior financial year. Those that were under this threshold were asked to confirm so in writing.
	The purpose of the exercise was to confirm which accounting units should be submitting accounts to the Commission and which should not. The Commission has conducted no research into spending by those associations under the threshold.

Political Parties: Finance

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the hon. Member for Gosport, representing the Speaker's Committee on the Electoral Commission pursuant to the answer of 18 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1235W, on political parties: finance, what research the Electoral Commission initiated on the operation of the political levy and political funds by trade unions.

Peter Viggers: The Electoral Commission informs me that it plans to undertake research on the operation of the political levy and political funds and has arranged a meeting with the United Kingdom Certification Officer.

A21

Greg Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 25 January 2007,  Official Report, column 1909W, on the A21, what stage the tendering process for the A21 Tonbridge to Pembury and A21 Kippings Cross to Lamberhurst Improvement has reached; and if she will make a statement.

Tom Harris: The tender process began in late March 2007, with invitations to tender. These were returned in early July and assessment was completed during mid-September.
	The South East regional bodies have been asked to confirm their support for these schemes on the basis of the latest cost estimates. A decision regarding award of contract for the A21 Tonbridge to Pembury and A21 Kippings Cross to Lamberhurst Improvement schemes will need to take this confirmation into account.

Driving Tests

Greg Knight: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes she proposes to make to the driving test; what estimate she has made of the effect her proposals will have on the average length of time it takes a 17-year-old person to qualify for a licence on average; and if she will make a statement.

Jim Fitzpatrick: In February 2007 we announced a fundamental overhaul of driver training and testing. We are working to bring proposals forward for consultation and hope to publish them in due course.

Galileo

John Hayes: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will make a statement on final operational control arrangements for the Galileo Supervisory Authority, with particular reference to the mechanism for shutdown in time of conflict.

Rosie Winterton: Galileo is a European Union programme and the European GNSS Supervisory Authority (GSA) is the EU agency that will regulate and manage the system on behalf of the Community.
	Galileo will not be fully operational until 2013 at the earliest, and the final operational control arrangements within the appropriate institutional framework have yet to be decided. These arrangements are likely to be progressed during discussions on
	access policy for the Public Regulated Service (PRS) of Galileo, on which we expect the Commission to make proposals during 2008.
	The Council of Ministers has repeatedly confirmed that Galileo is a civil programme under civil control. The operation of any navigation aid, such as Galileo, can nevertheless have security implications for member states. A Council Joint Action of 2004 provides that any aspects of the operation of Galileo which affect member states' security can be referred to the Council, which would take the necessary decisions—including the option of suspending normal service—by unanimity.

Metronet

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the cost has been of running Metronet since it went into administration.

Rosie Winterton: In addition to their infrastructure service charge payments the Metronet companies receive money to cover their operating deficit. The PPP administrator stated in September that the net operating deficit of Metronet while in administration was £14.4 million per week, a projection of £345.5 million for six months of administration. This net operating deficit is funded by a loan provided by TfL.
	Much of the funding for the net operating deficit simply replaces planned Metronet borrowing which would, in due course, itself have been reflected in public accounts.

Railways

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent assessment she has made of the effects of the business practices of the rolling stock companies on the operation of the rail network.

Tom Harris: The Department for Transport made a submission to the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) on 28 June 2006 requesting that they refer the market to the Competition Commission for investigation under Section 131 of the Enterprise Act 2002.
	On 26 April 2007 ORR referred the leasing of rolling stock for franchised passenger services and the supply of related maintenance services to the Competition Commission. The Competition Commission issued their emerging thinking on 19 December 2007.
	For further details, I would refer the hon. Member to:
	www.competition-commission.org.uk/inquiries/ref2007/roscos/index.htm

Railways

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what her policy is on the sale of rolling stock by rolling stock companies to overseas customers.

Tom Harris: Rolling Stock is privately owned by the rolling stock companies. Sales and rolling stock are therefore a business matter for them.

Railways: Freight

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  if she will estimate the amount of carbon emissions from  (a) rail and  (b) road haulage in each year since 1990 (i) per mile and (ii) in total;
	(2)  if she will estimate the amount of carbon emissions from rail haulage in each year since 1990.

Tom Harris: The following tables are based on data from the National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory and Great Britain and Northern Ireland traffic censuses. It summarises carbon dioxide emissions of diesel rail haulage and heavy goods vehicles for the years requested. The tables exclude carbon dioxide emission figures for electric rail haulage and per kilometre for diesel rail haulage which are not available in the form requested.
	
		
			1990  1991  1992  1993  1994  1995  1996  1997 
			 Diesel rail freight CO2 emissions (kilotonnes) 636 610 616 547 517 529 600 673 
			 HGVs CO2 emissions (kilotonnes) 22038 20943 21015 21582 23291 23971 25360 26032 
			 HGVs Kt of C02 /billion km 847 817 842 849 898 899 922 924 
		
	
	
		
			1998  1999  2000  2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Diesel rail freight CO2 emissions (kilotonnes) 689 724 720 772 744 752 824 824 
			 HGVs CO2 emissions (kilotonnes) 26245 26032 25764 25811 26732 27220 27909 28592 
			 HGVs Kt of C02 /billion km 898 878 862 870 883 887 889 920

Roads: Tolls

David Drew: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if she will ensure that people who have to travel regularly to hospital are exempted from road user charging under the provisions of the Local Transport Bill.

Rosie Winterton: The Government believe that the detailed design of local road pricing schemes is best decided at local level. However we have given guidance to local authorities that scheme design will need to identify at-risk groups and consider how any negative impacts on these groups could be minimised or mitigated.
	The Secretary of State may already set national regulations on exemptions and discounts under the Transport Act 2000, so an amendment to the Local Transport Bill would not be necessary.

South West Trains

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the answer of 7 January 2008,  Official Report, column 15W, on South West Trains, what percentage of the mainline express fleet class 442 rolling stock units represented before their withdrawal.

Tom Harris: 24 Class 442 units were taken off lease before the start of the Stagecoach South Western Trains (SSWT) franchise that commenced in February 2007. The class 442s represented 10 per cent. of South West Trains (SWT) mainline fleet in unit number terms under the previous franchise. No Class 442s ran in service under Stagecoach South Western Trains.

Transport: Schools

Theresa Villiers: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families on encouraging alternatives to car use for taking children to school.

Rosie Winterton: The Secretary of State for Transport is happy to provide reassurance that there have been no meetings to which the hon. Lady has not been invited with the Shadow Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families or indeed any other of her colleagues in the Shadow Cabinet. The Secretary of State for Transport has met with the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families to discuss a range of issues, including travel to school.

Travel

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how far people living in an English  (a) urban and  (b) rural area travelled per person on average in 2006.

Rosie Winterton: The average annual distance travelled per person living in England in 2006, based on data from the National Travel Survey, was 6,677 miles in urban areas and 9,971 miles in rural areas.

Agriculture: Wastes

Mark Oaten: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what estimate the Government have made of the costs likely to be incurred by farmers for arranging slurry storage for six months under the proposed nitrate vulnerable zones directive;
	(2)  what plans the Government have to compensate farmers for the extra costs incurred in storing slurry for six months under the proposed nitrate vulnerable zones directive.

Phil Woolas: holding answer 7 January 2008
	The partial regulatory impact assessment (RIA) and paper 'G4—Assistance on the partial RIA including extended Nitrate Vulnerable Zones', published in support of the consultation on implementation of the nitrates directive in England, provide details of my Department's assessment of the likely cost to farmers of the proposed nitrates action programme measures. Both these papers are available to view on DEFRA's website.
	These assessments estimate the likely cost to farmers of meeting the proposed manure storage requirements as in the range £19 million to £24 million per year. This is assuming that the action programme is applied within proposed nitrate vulnerable zones covering 70 per cent. of England. Costs will be higher if the decision is taken to apply the action programme to the whole of England (annualised over 20 years).
	My Department has also committed £98 million (under the Rural development programme) to the livestock sector, to improve competitiveness, animal welfare and on-farm management of nutrients.

Animal Welfare: Finance

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what funding his Department provided local authorities in relation to stray animals in each year since 1997; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: Funding for stray dogs is one of the services supported through formula grant. Formula grant, which comprises revenue support grant, redistributed business rates and principal formula police grant, where appropriate, is an unhypothecated block grant; that is, councils are free to spend the money on any service. For this reason, and due to the method of calculation, particularly floor damping, it is not possible to say how much grant has been provided for any particular service.
	From 6 April 2008, local authorities will have sole responsibility for stray dogs functions under Sections 149 and 150 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. An additional £4 million per year will be funded through the revenue support grant for local authorities in England and Wales.

Carbon Emissions: Small Businesses

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what initiatives have been introduced since the Bali Climate Change Conference to help small businesses reduce their carbon emissions.

Phil Woolas: DEFRA is already grant funding the Carbon Trust (with around £90 million in 2007-08) to help businesses of all sizes reduce their carbon emissions. The trust provides a range of support to small businesses, which includes interest-free loans for approved energy saving projects, site surveys identifying energy-saving opportunities for companies with energy bills of more than £50,000/annum, a free telephone helpline and a range of online tools and bespoke information for different business sectors. Over the last three years the trust has provided around £90 million of support to small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and in 2006-07 alone, SMEs comprised 40 per cent. of the trust's customer base and received two-thirds of the 5,000 on-site energy surveys conducted by, or on behalf of, the trust.
	The Government are also currently developing options for implementing the Energy Services Directive which requires that all (except very small) energy suppliers must take action to supply or promote some form of energy efficiency or energy services to all sectors, including small businesses. Once implemented this will complement the range of carbon abatement services offered to this sector by the Carbon Trust.

Crabs: Conservation

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 5 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1267W, on crabs: conservation, whether he plans to discuss  (a) brown crab and  (b) lobster conservation with the European Commission and his European counterparts in the next 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: Defra is in discussion with the devolved Administrations regarding brown crab and lobster conservation. Plans to discuss these issues with the European Commission and European counterparts in the next 12 months will be dependent upon the outcome of these talks with the devolved Administrations.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the effects of the change in his Department's budget following the most recent Comprehensive Spending Review on its ability to meet its target to halt biodiversity loss by 2010;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effects of the change in his Department's budget following the most recent Comprehensive Spending Review on Natural England's work on  (a) local biodiversity partnerships,  (b) national trails,  (c) bridleways,  (d) areas of outstanding beauty and  (e) national nature reserves;
	(3)  when the budget for 2008 and onwards for Natural England will be  (a) decided and  (b) announced.

Joan Ruddock: We are currently considering allocation of the Department's resources for 2008-09 and have started discussions with Natural England on options for its CSR budget. However it is too early to set out what the implications will be for individual areas of work.
	Securing a healthy natural environment remains a top priority and is one of my Department's two high level goals alongside tackling climate change. Natural England will be a key contributor to this work. We expect to be in a position to confirm Natural England's financial settlement for 2008-09 by the end of February 2008 and will then be working with Natural England to finalise its next corporate plan, which will set Natural England's priorities and the outcomes to be achieved.

Departmental Public Expenditure

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the effects of the change in his Department's budget following the most recent Comprehensive Spending Review on  (a) staff morale,  (b) staff numbers,  (c) spending programmes and  (d) grants to non-governmental organisations, including (i) Butterfly Conservations, (ii) The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, (iii) the Wildlife Trusts, (iv) Plantlife and (v) the Bat Conservation Trust.

Joan Ruddock: The changes to the Department's budget following the comprehensive spending review (CSR) settlement in October 2007 have not yet been finalised. New budgets for the CSR period will be announced before the beginning of the next financial year and until these are decided it is not possible to make an assessment of the various issues listed. The exception being on  (b), staff numbers, where there are no pre-determined targets across the CSR period. However, staffing levels will be kept under review to ensure that DEFRA maintains a flexible and efficient work force within its administration budget, which will be reduced by 5 per cent. in real terms per annum in common with other Government Departments.

Dolphins: Moray Firth

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps he is taking to protect bottlenose dolphins at the Moray Firth; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform is currently consulting on a draft Appropriate Assessment for the Moray Firth in the context of the 24th Offshore Oil and Gas Licensing Round. The draft Appropriate Assessment has been carried out under the terms of the Habitats Directive which was implemented into UK law by the Offshore Petroleum Activities (Conservation of Habitats) Regulations 2001 (as amended). Those regulations require that before granting a petroleum licence, the Secretary of State carry out an Appropriate Assessment where he considers that any activity which might be carried on pursuant to such a licence is likely to have a significant effect on any Special Area of Conservation ("SAC")—whether individually or in combination with other plans or projects. Subject to certain exceptions, a licence can only be granted after having ascertained through the Appropriate Assessment that such activities will not have an adverse effect on the integrity of such a SAC.
	The draft Appropriate Assessment considers the impact of potential oil and gas activities on the Moray Firth SAC, which has been designated as such because it contains one of only two resident bottlenose dolphin populations in UK waters. In carrying out his assessment, the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform obtained a report from the specialist Sea Mammal Research Unit ("SMRU") which is based at St. Andrews University in Scotland. The Secretary of State's preliminary view—which is supported by the report from the SMRU—is that oil and gas activities which would flow from the grant of a petroleum licence in the Moray Firth would not have an adverse effect on the integrity of the Moray Firth SAC (or others).
	The draft Appropriate Assessment was published on 21 December 2007 and the public consultation period on the draft runs until 14 March 2008. The Government's statutory environmental advisers are also being consulted.

Environment Protection

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what  (a) the total funding received from BREW and other Government sources,  (b) the total landfill diverted in tonnes,  (c) the total carbon dioxide saved in tonnes,  (d) the amount of virgin materials saved in tonnes,  (e) the amount of hazardous waste reduced in tonnes and  (f) the amount of water saved in tonnes was by (i) the Carbon Trust, (ii) Envirowise, (iii) the National Industrial Symbiosis programme and (iv) WRAP in (A) 2005-06 and (B) 2006-07.

Joan Ruddock: DEFRA's business resource efficiency and waste (BREW) programme is returning £284 million raised from the landfill tax escalator back to businesses between 2005 and 2008. Work is being taken forward to improve businesses' resource efficiency and to minimise waste that is unnecessarily sent to landfill. Funds are awarded to a number of regional and national BREW delivery bodies. Allocations for 2005 to 2007 are set out in the following table.
	
		
			  £ million 
			  Delivery body  Budget 2005-06  Budget 2006-07 
			 Action Sustainability 0 0.219 
			 Carbon Trust 3 23.382 
			 DEFRA's Waste Data Strategy 0.5 2.1 
			 Environment Agency 2 4.454 
			 Envirowise 12 16.772 
			 Market Transformation Programme 2.65 2.8955 
			 National Industrial Symbiosis Programme (NISP) 2.675 5.7 
			 Regional Development Agencies 5 11.71 
			 Royal Society of Wildlife Trusts— Business Reuse Fund 0 2 
			 Technology Strategy Board 2 5.654 
			 WRAP 2.854 6.288 
			 Other (includes coordination, communication, pilot projects, funding for agricultural waste project and programme contingency fund) 0.321 3.24 
			 Total 33 84.415 
		
	
	The BREW programme has also continued to provide funding towards other business resource efficiency and waste activities in England, as shown in the following table:
	
		
			  Delivery  b ody  Activity  2006-07 funding (£ million) 
			 Carbon Trust Energy efficiency and carbon emission reduction activities 13.618 
			 WRAP Work with the construction, manufacturing, retail and recycling and reprocessing industries to reduce waste and encourage recycling 4.7 
			 Total  18.318 
		
	
	In 2005-06, the delivery bodies referred to in the question achieved the short-term savings aggregated in the following table. These show the results for £18.5 million of all £33 million of projects funded from the BREW programme.
	The results must be viewed with caution, since delivery bodies report according to a range of methodologies. Work is under way to improve consistency of this reporting and to apply reporting more widely. The results are only for BREW-funded activities. Some savings will result from these interventions in future years, which are not counted here.
	
		
			  Metric  In-year result 
			 (1) Waste diverted from landfill 675,000 tonnes 
			 (2) Carbon savings 320,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide 
			 (3) Virgin raw material savings 682,000 tonnes 
			 (4) Hazardous waste savings 120,000 tonnes 
			 (5) Water savings 5,630,000 cubic metres 
		
	
	DEFRA has not yet released individual delivery body results for 2005-06. These include some selected long-term results, which are not included in this table. Similarly, work is currently under way to verify BREW programme results for 2006-07. I will deposit both sets of results in the House Library when they are ready.
	In addition to funding from the BREW programme, DEFRA has provided the following funding to the delivery bodies below. NISP has not received any non-BREW funding from DEFRA.
	
		
			£ million 
			   2005-06  2006-07 
			 Carbon Trust 57.6 41 .644 
			 Envirowise 2.292 2.292 
			 WRAP 67.605 51 .58

Environmental Research Institute: Finance

Mark Hoban: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  how much has been committed from the private sector to date for the Environmental Research Institute;
	(2)  which organisations have pledged contributions to the Environmental Research Institute.

Ian Pearson: I have been asked to reply.
	In his 2006 Budget Statement, Gordon Brown announced the intention to create "a new energy and environmental research institute". The Energy Technologies Institute was legally established on 12 December 2007 as a Limited Liability Partnership. Private sector partners are BP, Caterpillar, EDF Energy, EON UK, Rolls-Royce and Shell, together contributing up to £300 million over 10 years. Additional private sector partners are being sought to match the Government's commitment of up to £550 million, and to achieve a budget of up to £1.1 billion for the ETI over the next decade.

European Fisheries Fund

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs pursuant to the answer of 5 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1270W, on the European Fisheries Fund, whether he submitted the UK National Strategic Plan to the European Commission by 31 December 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The National Strategic Plan (NSP) has now been finalised, and I expect to formally submit this to the Commission shortly.

Fisheries: Regulation

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment he has made of the level of compliance with regulations and rules for which he is responsible within the seafood and fishing industry in  (a) England,  (b) Wales,  (c) Scotland and  (d) Northern Ireland.

Jonathan R Shaw: It is difficult to make an accurate formal assessment of levels of compliance due to the diverse fishery activity occurring in our waters. However, during 2006, the last year for which complete figures are available, the Marine and Fisheries Agency undertook some 11744 inspections, of which 298 revealed one or more offences (some 412 infringements). Compliance in Scotland and Northern Ireland is a devolved issue.

Fisheries: Subsidies

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  which countries have submitted their European Fisheries Fund Operational Programme to the European Commission; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  which countries have had their European Fisheries Fund Operational Programme approved by the European Commission; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: 25 member states have formally submitted their Operational Programmes to the European Commission. Of these, 20 have been approved.

Home Energy Efficiency Scheme

Daniel Kawczynski: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the value of excess payments requested in respect of Warm Front grants has been in  (a) Shropshire,  (b) west midlands and  (c) England in 2007-08.

Phil Woolas: Between 1 April and 30 November 2007, the following client contributions were requested under the warm front scheme:
	
		
			   £ 
			  Area  Total value of excess requirements 
			 Shropshire 288,347.38 
			 West midlands 4,031,045.68 
			 Total 23,609,213.88

Sea Fisheries Committees

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he plans to increase the representation of recreational sea anglers on Sea Fisheries Committees; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: Recreational sea anglers are currently represented on each Sea Fisheries Committee (SFC). All appointments to SFCs made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State last for a maximum of four years and the current round of appointments will end on 30 June 2009. The Marine Bill White Paper set out proposals to reform SFCs in England, including adjustments to their membership structure to improve decision-making and local stakeholder involvement. Sea anglers will continue to be represented on reformed SFCs but I have not at this stage made any decisions regarding the future level of that representation.

Sea Fisheries Committees

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how many recreational sea angling representatives were on each Sea Fisheries Committee in each year since 1997.

Jonathan R Shaw: All appointments to Sea Fisheries Committees (SFCs) made by the Secretary of State last for a four year period. For the appointment periods 2001-05 and 2005-09, each SFC had the following number of appointees with a known interest in sea angling (information for 1997-2001 is not readily accessible in the format required):
	
		
			  SFC  2001-05  2005-09 
			 Cornwall 1 2 
			 Cumbria 0 1 
			 Devon 1 2 
			 Eastern 0 2 
			 Isles of Scilly 1 1 
			 Kent and Essex 1 2 
			 Northumberland 1 2 
			 North Eastern 3 4 
			 North Western and North Wales 1 2 
			 Southern 1 1 
			 Sussex 1 2 
		
	
	Within the above appointment periods, the level of angler representation may have varied in some instances where vacancies have arisen due to resignations.
	Members appointed by the Secretary of State are required to represent all the local fishing and marine environmental interests in the SFC district in a balanced way. Appointees are reminded that they should not regard themselves as representing any one particular interest, and may have experience across several sectors.
	Appointments to South Wales SFC are a matter for the Welsh Assembly Government.

Sea Fishing: Licensing

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  whether he plans to introduce a recreational sea angling licence; what estimate he has made of the revenue that a recreational sea angling licence would raise; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  pursuant to the Marine Bill White Paper and associated Regulatory Impact Assessment, what estimate he has made of the cost of administering and enforcing a recreational sea angling licence; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  pursuant to the Marine Bill White Paper and associated Regulatory Impact Assessment, to what use the revenue raised from a recreational sea angling licence would be put; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: The Marine Bill White Paper published in March 2007 includes proposals to introduce a chargeable licensing scheme for recreational sea angling. The regulatory impact assessment (RIA) accompanying the White Paper estimated that the revenue from such a scheme could generate £9 million to £12 million per annum in licence fees, depending on uptake and the rate of the charge. The RIA also estimated the one-off set-up cost to the Government could be between £0.1 million to £1.5 million, with annual running costs including enforcement between £1.2 million and £2.8 million, depending on how the scheme is implemented and the level of compliance.
	The White Paper explained that the revenue raised from a recreational sea angling licence would be used to help support measures such as:
	(i) improved scientific data to inform the development of management measures for stocks of specific interest to anglers;
	(ii) protection and improvement of shore access and parking;
	(iii) provision of more small boat launching facilities;
	(iv) access to existing and new shore structures;
	(v) creation of artificial inshore and offshore reefs; and
	(vi) clear displays of relevant rules, codes of conduct and other useful data on the shore, at boat launch sites and aboard charter boats
	The revenue would also cover the costs of administration, monitoring and inspection and evaluation of any measures introduced for the benefit of anglers.

Shellfish

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether he has reached an agreed approach on  (a) brown crab and  (b) lobster conservation with the devolved Administrations; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: Defra is in discussion with the devolved Administrations to explore whether an agreed approach would be the most appropriate course of action in relation to brown crab and lobster conservation.

Waste Management: Finance

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs how much has been allocated to research and development on the waste management programme in each of the next three years; and from what budget these resources will be drawn.

Joan Ruddock: DEFRA was allocated a total budget of about £4 billion under the comprehensive spending review (CSR 08 -11).
	No allocations have yet been determined for research and development on DEFRA's waste management programme, although the Department expects to do so before March this year.

Whaling

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with  (a) the Prime Minister and  (b) Cabinet colleagues in relation to whaling since the IWC59 meeting; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  when he last wrote to his Cabinet colleagues about whaling; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  with reference to the answer of 19 February 2007,  Official Report, column 195W, on whaling, whether he has received a response to the letters sent to his Cabinet colleagues; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  with reference to the answer of 19 February 2007,  Official Report, column 195W, on whaling, when Cabinet colleagues have drawn to the attention of their foreign counterparts the subject of  (a) whaling,  (b) whale conservation and  (c) the whale watching industry; and if he will make a statement.

Jonathan R Shaw: Cabinet members, along with all hon. Members, were sent a Dear Colleague' letter sent by my predecessor (Ben Bradshaw) in June last year, which provided a full report of the outcome of last year's annual International Whaling Commission (IWC) meeting. The letter emphasised the UK's efforts to increase the number of conservation-minded countries in the IWC. The report of the meeting made clear that the UK remains vigorously opposed to whaling and details our position on issues such as the importance of welfare considerations and whale watching.
	The UK has led efforts to recruit more conservation-minded countries to the IWC through our publication 'Protecting Whales—A Global Responsibility'. The Prime Minister emphasises the UK's strong commitment to whale conservation in the foreword to this document stating:
	"I urge Governments to join the UK, and other anti-whaling countries, in the International Whaling Commission to maintain the moratorium on commercial whaling so that our generation meets its responsibility to protect whales."
	This year, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is also writing to 18 countries encouraging them to join the IWC for the greater protection of whales. In the coming weeks, Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) posts will deliver the updated version of the leaflet 'Protecting Whales—A Global Responsibility' to host Governments and lobby to support the UK's position. FCO posts are aware of the need to watch for indications that countries, including some mentioned in the answer of 19 February 2007,  Official Report, column 195W, may join the IWC and adopt a pro-whaling stance. Posts in the relevant capitals are briefed, supplied with copies of our publication and engage in discussion with their counterparts on whaling at every appropriate opportunity. Such countries are left in no doubt as to the importance that the UK attaches to whale conservation.
	As a result of the correspondence over lobbying mentioned by my predecessor in his answer of 19 February 2007,  Official Report, column 195W prior to the 2007 Annual IWC Meeting in Anchorage, the UK and its like-minded allies managed to recruit six countries into the IWC, so that the pro-whaling majority in that organisation was overturned. In a further response to UK lobbying efforts, several other countries have indicated willingness to support our opposition to Japanese whaling and to join the IWC in time for this year's annual meeting in Santiago, Chile in June.

Departmental Pay

Sarah Teather: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 5 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1255W, on departmental pay, how many of those earning over £100,000 were employed  (a) as special advisers and  (b) in a political role in each year since 1997.

Douglas Alexander: Since 2003, the Government have published on an annual basis the number of special advisers in each pay band. For the most recent information I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my right hon. Friend, the Prime Minister on 22 November 2007,  Official Report, 147-151WS.
	Information on the numbers and costs of special advisers prior to 2003 was provided at regular intervals and this information will be available in the Library of the House.

Sudan

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development with reference to the answer of 5 March 2007,  Official Report, column 1624W, on Sudan, what proportion of the grant aid given by his Department to UNHCR was spent upon that organisation's priority areas of vaccination and veterinary care in co-operation with the Chadian government's livestock delegation and promoting the breeding of smaller animals (sheep and poultry) better suited to vulnerable refugees living in camps.

Gareth Thomas: In 2007, DFID gave the Office for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) £2 million to support their operations in Chad. Our contribution was to their overall appeal rather than to specific parts of their programme. Under the Good Humanitarian Donorship initiative, we do not require separate reporting for DFID against each activity and it is not therefore possible to determine DFID support to this particular aspect of their programme. In total, however, the livestock component of UNHCR's programme was around £400,000 in 2007.

Tanzania: Overseas Investment

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development pursuant to the answer of 9 January 2008 to question 166007, what steps he has taken, in conjunction with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, following his briefing by the UK High Commissioner in Dar es Salaam on 26 and 27 November 2007, in relation to the case of Mr. Stewart Middleton and Ms Sarah Hermitage.

Douglas Alexander: I raised the case with the President of Tanzania on 27 November 2007. Our high commissioner subsequently followed up that conversation with the Tanzanian Chief Secretary, who undertook to look into the matter with the relevant authorities. The Chief Secretary confirmed that it was his government's intention that the issue should be justly and expeditiously resolved.

Definition of Sport

Bob Laxton: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport 
	(1)  why recreational  (a) horse riding and  (b) swimming were included in the new definition of sport;
	(2)  why recreational cycling was excluded from the new definition of sport.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The definition of sport for the local and national government measurement framework from April 2008 will be largely based on the definition of sport currently used for the Comprehensive Performance Assessment framework. This is set out in the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport's letter to the Local Government Association of 21 December 2007, a copy of which has been placed in the House Library.
	The Secretary of State has asked Sport England to develop a new strategy for how it will deliver a world class community sport infrastructure of clubs, coaches, volunteers and facilities.
	This new focus will deliver the provision of excellent sport opportunities from the grassroots up, sustaining and increasing participation and allowing everyone to develop their sporting talents at every level.
	Sport England's tighter focus on sport will mean that some activities may fall outside Sport England's remit and funding. Decisions have not yet been taken on what activities fall within or outside of Sport England's remit.
	To ensure that gaps do not appear, Her Majesty's Treasury is leading wider cross-Government work on creating a physical strategy for all, which should be completed by the end of March 2008.
	DCMS has a clear Government lead on delivering sport and believes a tighter definition of sport will ensure Lottery and Exchequer funding through Sport England will more effectively deliver an excellent sporting infrastructure. Investment in wider physical activity falls to other government departments and agencies who have the policy and funding lead.

Gambling

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport whether the use of fixed odds betting terminals remains under review following publication of the British Gambling Prevalence Survey 2007; and what evidence his Department is gathering on these machines to evaluate their impact on gambling behaviour.

Gerry Sutcliffe: The 2005 Gambling Act regulates fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs) for the first time and allows a maximum of four machines per licensed betting premises. However, if there is evidence of harm from particular forms of gambling, including individual categories of gaming machines, the Government have the power to place further restrictions on operators.
	The Gambling Commission is also planning a programme of secondary analysis of the British Gambling Prevalence Survey 2007 data which will look more closely at the risk factors associated with problem gambling. The risks associated with gaming machines will be considered within this context.

Gambling

Tobias Ellwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport what representations he has received from  (a) RIGT and  (b) GamCare on the impact of the Gambling Act 2005 on problem gambling.

Gerry Sutcliffe: Following the implementation of the Gambling Act 2005 on 1 September 2007, Ministers and officials continue to hold meetings with key stakeholders including the Responsibility in Gambling Trust (RiGT) and GamCare and which have included representations on a range of issues, including problem gambling.
	The Gambling Commission has also recently launched a first consultation paper on the Review of Research, Education and Treatment for problem gambling and has invited views from a broad range of stakeholders including GamCare and RiGT.

Armed Forces: Pay

Liam Fox: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on how many occasions since 1977 the Government have not implemented in full the recommendations of the Armed Forces Pay Review Body.

Bob Ainsworth: Since 1977, the Government have always implemented in full the recommendations of the Armed Forces' Pay Review Body (AFPRB). The implementation of the AFPRB's recommendations have, however, been staged on seven occasions, but where this has occurred they have always been effected within the same financial year.

Astute Class Submarines: Repairs and Maintenance

Willie Rennie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the cost of repairing the Astute submarine damaged during routine tests.

Bob Ainsworth: holding answer 14 January 2008
	Repair work is currently under way and progressing well. Costs will be agreed between the Department and BAES once all repairs have been completed.

AWE Burghfield

Mike Hancock: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 17 December 2007,  Official Report, column 1035W, on AWE Burghfield, how many safety shortfalls  (a) were identified by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII) during the risk assessment,  (b) were resolved by the delayed 27 September 2007 target date,  (c) will shortly be resolved and  (d) will remain unresolved under the current single operation licensing regime imposed by the NII for each warhead handling operation; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: As I indicated in my answer to the hon. Member on 7 January 2008,  Official Report, column 28W, the safety case issues in question were identified not by the Nuclear Installations Inspectorate (NII), but by AWE plc in its own Periodic Review of Safety. A total of 1,000 safety shortfalls were identified and these ultimately translated into 337 improvement packages requiring further action. Of these improvement packages, 234 were completed by 27 September 2007 with a further 50 due to be completed by 31 March 2008. The remaining 53 improvement packages are due to be completed by 31 December 2008.
	It is important to note that NII has made a full assessment of AWE's Periodic Review of Safety and is satisfied that appropriate progress is being made at AWE Burghfield to address the findings. It is emphasised that, if NII believed a particular operation were unsafe, it would not allow it to take place, and has appropriate regulatory powers at its disposal to cease operations.

Military Bases: USA

Norman Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those  (a) establishments and  (b) parcels of land where the US authorities have been granted exclusive occupation by his Department.

Bob Ainsworth: The United States Visiting Force (USVF) has never been granted exclusive occupation of UK bases; rather they are made available under the terms of the NATO Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) 1951, and other arrangements. The following establishments in the United Kingdom are currently occupied by the USVF under the terms of the NATO SOFA of 1951:
	Blenheim Crescent, London.
	Joint Maritime Facility at RAF St. Mawgan, Cornwall.
	RAF Alconbury, Cambridgeshire.
	RAF Barford St. John, Oxfordshire
	RAF Croughton, Northants.
	RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire.
	RAF Feltwell, Norfolk
	RAF Lakenheath, Suffolk.
	RAF Menwith Hill, North Yorkshire.
	RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk.
	RAF Molesworth, Cambridgeshire.
	RAF Upwood, Cambridgeshire.
	RAF Welford, Berkshire.
	In addition, Edison House and Providence Court in London are privately owned buildings that MOD leases on behalf of the USVF. The USVF also has family quarters housing allocated to them, in several locations in the UK.
	UK nationals work in a variety of roles at all the principal USVF bases. At RAF Menwith Hill and the Joint Maritime Facility at RAF St. Mawgan there is a joint UK-US mission, where UK nationals are also employed in an operational role.

United Kingdom Hydrographic Office

Nick Harvey: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has discussed the conclusions of his Department's review of the United Kingdom Hydrographic Office with the Office of Fair Trading.

Derek Twigg: As owner of the UK Hydrographic Office, I commissioned a review of structural and ownership options in February 2007. I have not specifically discussed the conclusions of the study with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT), but in light of the OFT's market study on the Commercial Use of Public Information the study team held discussions with the OFT, exploring the handling of public sector data collated and used by the UKHO.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reasons the UK is purchasing the MQ-9 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system from the US; what effect this purchase will have on the acquisition and introduction into service of the Watchkeeper UAV system; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Ainsworth: Three MQ-9 UAVs, known as Reaper, have been purchased under urgent operational requirement arrangements to provide an all-weather, persistent Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ISTAR) capability over a wide geographical area. Reaper provides a separate and complementary capability to that which Watchkeeper will provide, and will not affect the acquisition or introduction into service of Watchkeeper.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether the Watchkeeper Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle is designed to allow full alignment and transparency with manned aircraft for all flight rules, including ability to assess in-flight conditions;
	(2)  whether the Watchkeeper Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle will comply with visual flight rules and instrument flight rules as they affect manned aircraft flying as operational air traffic;
	(3)  whether the Watchkeeper Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle pilot-in-command will have the ability to assess in-flight conditions for visual flight rules flight.

Bob Ainsworth: For a number of technical and regulatory reasons, Watchkeeper, as with other Unmanned Air Vehicles (UAVs) cannot comply with either Visual Flight Rules or Instrument Flight Rules. In the context of UAVs, the Aircraft Commander's responsibility for collision avoidance is discharged by operating the UAV within defined airspace, from which other aircraft are excluded.

Unmanned Air Vehicles

Robert Key: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Watchkeeper Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (TUAV) will be pre-programmed with an appropriate contingency plan in circumstances where the pilot-in-command is no longer in control of the TUAV.

Bob Ainsworth: Yes, in the event that communication with the air vehicle is lost it will join a pre-programmed and cleared route. The Watchkeeper software system has a flight plan validation tool that will ensure that the air vehicle will remain within its assigned airspace, and within glide range of designated emergency recovery points.

Departmental Manpower

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the planned number of departmental staff is for financial years 2008-09 to 2010-11, broken down by strategic priority.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) currently employs some 6,000 UK civil servants ("UK-based staff") at home and abroad. The FCO's new strategic workforce plan predicts that over the next five years there will be a net reduction of some 400 staff against this figure.
	As my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary told the House on 8 January,  Official Report, column 150, the FCO will be focusing its future policy work on countering terrorism and weapons proliferation; promoting a low carbon high growth local economy; preventing and resolving conflict; and developing effective international institutions. It is not possible to give a breakdown of staff numbers working on each of these priorities over the next few years, since the vast majority of FCO staff work on more than one.

Departmental Manpower

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the planned number of departmental staff is for financial years 2008-09 to 2010-11, broken down by post.

Meg Munn: The number of Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) staff at post is under constant review in the light of changing world circumstances, operational requirements and financial constraints. It is therefore not possible to give an accurate estimate of the number of staff at each post over the next three years. In the latest FCO departmental report for financial year 2006-07, the number of staff worldwide employed by the FCO is given as 6,364.

Departmental Manpower

Keith Simpson: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the average number of departmental staff was for financial years 2001-02 to 2006-07, broken down by strategic priority.

Meg Munn: The vast majority of Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff work on more than one strategic priority (SP). The SPs were introduced in 2003 and updated twice in 2006. It is not therefore possible to give an accurate breakdown of the numbers of staff who worked on each of the SPs.

Disclosure of Information

David Lidington: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment  (a) Ministers and  (b) officials in his Department made of the harm caused to international relations by Mr. Derek Pasquill's disclosures before the decision was taken to prosecute him.

Meg Munn: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) provided a witness statement to the police setting out our considered assessment of the damage caused, by the disclosures, to international relations under Section 3 of the Official Secrets Act 1989.
	The statement was given by a senior FCO official on behalf of the Department, but FCO Ministers were briefed on its contents.

UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf

Andrew MacKinlay: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what geographical claims the UK intends to submit to the UN Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf on areas off  (a) the north west coast of Scotland,  (b) Northern Ireland and  (c) other UK territories.

Meg Munn: The UK is considering making submissions to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) in respect of four distinct areas, before the right to do so expires in May 2009. The four areas under consideration are:
	'Hatton-Rockall'—an area of the north east Atlantic off the north west coast of Scotland;
	the area around Ascension Island;
	areas around the Falkland Islands and South Georgia; and
	the area off British Antarctic Territory.
	In 2006 the UK made a joint submission to the CLCS with France, Ireland and Spain in respect of an area of the Bay of Biscay, and all four states are working with the Commission towards the production of its conclusions.

Whales

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with representatives of foreign governments on whaling since the IWC59 meeting; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has had no discussions with his foreign counterparts on this issue.
	The departmental lead on this subject is the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and DEFRA work closely together regarding whaling, in particular lobbying foreign governments, emphasising the importance which the UK attaches to whale conservation.
	On 21 December 2007, the UK, along with 29 other countries and the EU, made a formal diplomatic representation to the Japanese Government in Tokyo urging it to stop its lethal whaling programme in the Antarctic.
	In January 2008, the FCO and DEFRA will launch a lobbying campaign spearheaded by the global distribution of the newly revised DEFRA brochure "Protecting whales—a global responsibility" including a foreword from my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

Whales

Bill Wiggin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to discuss whaling and the international moratorium on whaling with other governments before the IWC60 meeting; and if he will make a statement.

Meg Munn: My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary has no current plans for discussions with his foreign counterparts on this issue.
	The departmental lead on this subject is the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). Officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) and DEFRA work closely together regarding whaling, in particular lobbying foreign governments, emphasising the importance which the UK attaches to whale conservation.
	Upcoming initiatives include a conference organised by our embassy in Reykjavik in March to highlight the advantages of whale watching. Our embassy in Copenhagen is arranging a similar event, also in March, in which a range of people will participate, including the International Fund for Animal Welfare.
	In January 2008, the FCO and DEFRA will launch a lobbying campaign spearheaded by the global distribution of the newly revised DEFRA brochure "Protecting whales—a global responsibility" including a foreword from my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister. Further targeted lobbying will be carried out by FCO posts in the run up to International Whaling Commission 60.

Crime Prevention: Voluntary Organisations

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what support her Department gives to voluntary organisations that help reduce crime in communities.

Vernon Coaker: The Department is committed to working with voluntary sector organisations who play a crucial role in helping to shape, and where appropriate, deliver crime reduction services directly. In recognising this role at both regional and national level, the Home Office in 2007-08 provided over £3 million in financial support to several organisations, which demonstrates our continued support to our partnership with third sector organisations.
	In addition, the Connected Fund—Government funding for community groups—has so far made over £1.75 million available to 400 small voluntary groups working on gun crime and related issues across the country.
	The Home Office has also provided funding of £5.9 million in 2007-08 to Crime Concern for the Positive Futures Programme. Positive Futures is a national sports based social inclusion programme which targets vulnerable young people in 30 areas worst affected by drug-related crime across the country.
	Other financial support from the Home Office also benefits voluntary organisations. In 2007-08 this included over £21 million to the Youth Justice Board to fund youth crime prevention: third sector organisations are often key local delivery partners. The Tackling Gangs Action programme is working with third sector community groups as well as statutory providers to tackle gang activity and gun and knife crime. In addition, a substantial amount of Home Office funding is pooled with other funding through local area agreements to be spent locally, and again voluntary organisations are often key delivery partners locally in tackling crime in communities: in the current 2007-08 Financial Year the Home Office contributed £65 million resource and 18 million capital through local area agreements.

Police: Migration

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the effect of likely increases in population on the delivery of policing services in  (a) government designated growth areas and  (b) Northamptonshire.

Tony McNulty: holding answer 14 November 2007
	Projections of population are one of the key components in the funding formula which determines the distribution of the main Government police grant between police authorities in England and Wales.
	Since 1997, increases in Government funding for the police have far outstripped increases in population. In the case of Northamptonshire, Government funding has increased by 55 per cent., 22 per cent. in real terms, while its population has increased by 10 per cent.

Theft: Computers and Bicycles

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what steps the Government have taken to reduce computer theft;
	(2)  what steps the Government have taken to assist the public in protecting their bicycles from thieves.

Vernon Coaker: holding answer 14 January 2008
	There has been a strong drive from Government to reduce acquisitive crime since 1997, through targets, policy interventions and good practice development. Acquisitive crime has decreased significantly since the mid 1990s with a 34 per cent. reduction in personal acquisitive crime and a 55 per cent. reduction in household acquisitive crime between 1995 and 2006-07. This is equivalent to around one million fewer personal acquisitive crimes and almost five million fewer household acquisitive crimes.
	Where these particular offences are problems in local areas, the police and other partners such as local authorities, will include them in their strategic assessments and priorities. A good example of local activity is Coventry Community Safety Partnership's work with two universities to purchase 1,000 licences which enable laptops to be tracked if stolen.
	Regarding bicycle theft, in 2006 the Home Office published a "Steer Clear of Cycle Theft" leaflet providing crime prevention guidance for owners and law enforcement. Details can be found on the Home Office website (http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/crime-victims/how-you-can-prevent-crime/). This advice includes security marking the cycle; keeping a copy of the details including colour and frame number (and taking a photograph); and, registering the details with a central database.

Theft: Metals

Brian Iddon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she is taking to deal with people who steal expensive metal objects to sell to scrap yards.

Vernon Coaker: We are aware that thefts of valuable metals have been increasing over recent months and we are working closely with the industries affected and the police to develop a response to tackle these crimes.
	The Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has set up a working group, chaired by the British Transport police and with Home Office representation, to assess the scale of such incidents. The aim of the group will be to establish an action plan which will address all aspects of the problem from national co-ordination to local responses to tackle metal thieves, including an examination of the current effectiveness of legislation relating to scrap metal recycling.

Credit: Low Incomes

Tony Baldry: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what steps the Government is taking to encourage initiatives from mainstream lenders to provide affordable credit to those on benefits and others at risk of financial exclusion.

Angela Eagle: I have been asked to reply.
	The Financial Inclusion Taskforce has defined the role for banks in respect of affordable credit as supporting the growth of third sector lenders. The Government's recent action plan for financial inclusion announced a commitment by the banks—building on successful work in partnership with Government to increase take-up of basic bank accounts, and their support for other financial inclusion initiatives—to support third sector affordable credit. This will include action to develop new provision in 25 high priority areas identified by the Financial Inclusion Taskforce; the Government will work with the banks to identify areas most suitable for action.

Fuel Poverty

Alistair Carmichael: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what plans his Department has to reduce fuel poverty in Scotland; and what account he has taken of the Scottish House Condition Survey in developing such plans.

Mike O'Brien: The Department of Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (DBERR) and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) have the lead responsibility for the reduction of fuel poverty, although DWP work very closely with them to ensure that as many households as possible receive help. This is a Government priority and we are taking action throughout the UK to maximise benefit take-up and improve joined up working with the energy suppliers and across Government.
	We are currently undertaking a fuel poverty partnership pilot with the energy industry. This targets 250,000 pensioners in receipt of pension credit throughout England, Scotland and Wales, which aims to increase the take-up of energy efficiency measures and Warm Front grants. In Scotland, 16,500 recipients of pension credit will be contacted. This is just one of a range of activities designed to tackle fuel poverty as part of the cross government 'Keep Warm Keep Well' initiative.
	With reference to the Scottish House Condition Survey, the Fifth Annual Progress Report of the UK Fuel Poverty Strategy, published in December 2007 by DBERR and supported by DWP, draws on the data from that report.

Health and Safety Executive: Finance

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what assessment he has made of the effect of future funding plans for the Health and Safety Executive on its ability to perform its role.

Anne McGuire: The Department is currently discussing funding for the 2007 spending review period with the Health and Safety Commission and the Health and Safety Executive (HSC/E). As part of this process, Ministers have asked HSC/E to maintain front-line inspector numbers for the next spending period, at least at the March 2008 level. HSC/E has been asked to prepare a business plan for my approval which sets out how they will perform their role. HSC/E's final spending settlement will be announced in the new year.

Pensions: Financial Assistance Scheme

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 17 December 2007,  Official Report, columns 100-02WS, on Financial Assistance Scheme, whether the level of compensation in the amended Financial Assistance Scheme will be identical to that offered by the Pension Protection Fund.

Mike O'Brien: holding answer 7 January 2008
	The assistance provided by the financial assistance scheme (FAS) will be broadly comparable in value to that provided by the Pension Protection Fund (PPF), though not identical. Because FAS pension schemes started winding up under the regulatory framework and individual pension scheme rules that predate the PPF, and as many FAS schemes will already have bought annuities for members as part of the winding up process, there will inevitably be differences in the structure of assistance provided. In practice we believe that for the majority of beneficiaries these differences will not be substantial.

Council Housing

Sally Keeble: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what steps she plans to take to improve the quality of council housing.

Yvette Cooper: In 2001 we introduced the decent homes standard which for the first time set minimum standard for all council housing in England, we have already reduced the number of non-decent social sector homes by over one million.
	By 2010 over £40 billion will have been invested in improvements to social housing and work will have been completed to over 3.6 million social sector homes, with improvements for eight million people in total, including 2.5 million children.

Energy-Efficient Homes

Lynne Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what recent discussions she has had with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on steps to improve domestic energy efficiency.

Iain Wright: Communities and Local Government and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has a wide range of mutually reinforcing policies and programmes in place aimed at improving domestic energy efficiency. Discussions are held at ministerial and official level on a regular basis. Both departments will be jointly launching a green homes strategy which will include what Government is doing to reduce emissions from the domestic sector.

Departmental Secondment

Eric Pickles: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many staff have been seconded to  (a) her Department and  (b) each of its executive agencies, in the last 12 months; from which outside body they were seconded; and what the length was of each secondment.

Parmjit Dhanda: 52 secondments to Communities and Local Government began during the 12 months to 31 December 2007. The planned lengths of these secondments and the outside bodies from which the secondments were drawn are given in the following tables.
	
		
			  Length of secondment  Number of secondments 
			 Less than or equal to six months 7 
			 More than six months, less than or equal to one year 36 
			 More than one year, less than or equal to two years 6 
			 More than two years 3 
			 Total 52 
		
	
	
		
			  Outside body  Number of secondments 
			 Audit Commission 2 
			 Basildon District Council 1 
			 Bedfordshire and Luton Fire and Rescue Service 1 
			 British Urban Regeneration Association (BURA) 1 
			 Buckinghamshire and Milton Keynes Fire Authority 1 
			 Cambridgeshire Fire and Rescue Service 1 
			 Centrepoint 1 
			 Chief Fire Officers' Association 1 
			 Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service 1 
			 Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service 1 
			 East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service 1 
			 Essex County Council 1 
			 Essex County Fire and Rescue Service 1 
			 Fire Control West Midlands Fire and Rescue Service 1 
			 Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service 2 
			 Groundwork UK 1 
			 Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service 4 
			 Hereford and Worcester Fire Rescue Service 1 
			 Homeless Link 1 
			 Humberside Fire and Rescue Service 1 
			 Improvement and Development Agency 1 
			 London Borough of Lambeth 1 
			 London Civic Forum 1 
			 London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority 1 
			 MAple Access 1 
			 Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service 1 
			 Mid-Sussex District Council 1 
			 Norfolk County Council 1 
			 Norfolk Fire and Rescue Service 1 
			 Northamptonshire County Council 1 
			 Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service 1 
			 Nottinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service 1 
			 Nottinghamshire Probation Area 1 
			 Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service 1 
			 Revolving Doors Agency 1 
			 South Wales Fire and Rescue Service 1 
			 Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service 1 
			 Stoke on Trent City Council 1 
			 Surrey Fire and Rescue Service 1 
			 The Housing Corporation 2 
			 Town and Country Planning Association 1 
			 West Berkshire 1 
			 West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service 1 
			 West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service 1 
			 Wiltshire and Swindon Fire Authority 1 
			 Record not available at this time 1 
			 Total 52 
		
	
	There were no secondments to the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in the last 12 months. There was one secondment to the Planning Inspectorate from North Somerset council which is planned to last for nine months. There were 12 secondments to the Fire Service college beginning in 2007. These were drawn from local fire and rescue services listed as follows. Each of these secondments is intended to last for three years.
	Outside bodies from which staff were seconded to the Fire Service college:
	Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue Service
	Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service
	West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service
	Cleveland Fire and Rescue Service
	Northamptonshire Fire and Rescue Service
	Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service
	Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service
	Warwickshire Fire and Rescue Service
	Fife Fire and Rescue Service
	Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service
	Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service
	Central Scotland Fire and Rescue Service

Regional Planning and Development: East Midlands

Peter Soulsby: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government which hon. and right hon. Members made formal submissions to the public consultation on the draft East Midlands Regional Plan.

Parmjit Dhanda: The following hon. and right hon. Members made formal representations on the Draft East Midlands Regional Plan:
	Right hon. Member for Rushcliffe (Kenneth Clarke);
	Hon. Member for Bassetlaw (John Mann);
	Hon. Member for Leicester South (Sir Peter Soulsby);
	Hon. Member for South Derbyshire (Mark Todd).

Care Homes: Standards

Maria Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Health in how many nursing homes receiving local authority funded residents have been placed on a caution list in the last 12 months, broken down by local authority.

Ivan Lewis: holding answer 10 January 2008
	The Department is not aware of the use of caution lists in respect of nursing homes. All care and nursing homes in England are regulated and inspected by the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI). The table shows data provided by CSCI on the numbers of nursing homes per local authority which are rated as 'poor' or 'undergoing enforcement' as at 9 January 2008.
	All services which CSCI rates in these categories become part of its regional enforcement strategy. For any such services, CSCI will undertake a management review and request a mandatory improvement plan. These services will also receive a greater number of inspections—a minimum of two key inspections a year—as a result of their rating. As data is not collected on homes catering for local authority-funded residents, the numbers shown are in respect of all nursing homes in England.
	
		
			  Number of nursing homes with a CSCI quality rating of 'poor' or 'undergoing enforcement' as at 9 January 2008 
			  Local authority  Number of homes 
			 Barnsley 1 
			 Bath and North East Somerset 1 
			 Bedfordshire 7 
			 Birmingham 12 
			 Blackpool 1 
			 Bournemouth 2 
			 Bradford 1 
			 Brighton and Hove 2 
			 Bristol 1 
			 Bromley 2 
			 Buckinghamshire 3 
			 Bury 1 
			 Calderdale 4 
			 Cambridgeshire 4 
			 Cheshire 3 
			 Cornwall 5 
			 Croydon 4 
			 Cumbria 2 
			 Derbyshire 3 
			 Devon 3 
			 Doncaster 1 
			 Dorset 1 
			 Dudley 3 
			 Durham 1 
			 East Sussex 2 
			 Essex 3 
			 Gloucestershire 10 
			 Greenwich 2 
			 Hammersmith and Fulham 1 
			 Hampshire 3 
			 Harrow 1 
			 Havering 1 
			 Herefordshire 1 
			 Hertfordshire 4 
			 Kensington and Chelsea 1 
			 Kent 3 
			 Kingston upon Thames 1 
			 Kirklees 2 
			 Lancashire 5 
			 Leeds 3 
			 Leicestershire 3 
			 Lewisham 2 
			 Lincolnshire 2 
			 Liverpool 5 
			 Luton 1 
			 Manchester 2 
			 Newcastle upon Tyne 2 
			 Norfolk 3 
			 North Somerset 3 
			 North Tyneside 2 
			 North Yorkshire 3 
			 Northamptonshire 1 
			 Northumberland 1 
			 Nottingham 3 
			 Nottinghamshire 11 
			 Oldham 1 
			 Oxfordshire 2 
			 Peterborough 1 
			 Plymouth 1 
			 Poole 1 
			 Portsmouth 1 
			 Redbridge 1 
			 Rotherham 1 
			 Salford 2 
			 Sandwell 1 
			 Sefton 1 
			 Sheffield 2 
			 Shropshire 4 
			 Somerset 14 
			 South Gloucestershire 1 
			 Southwark 3 
			 Staffordshire 6 
			 Stockport 1 
			 Suffolk 3 
			 Sunderland 1 
			 Surrey 3 
			 Sutton 5 
			 Tameside 1 
			 Telford and Wrekin 1 
			 Torbay 2 
			 Trafford 2 
			 Wakefield 3 
			 Walsall 3 
			 Waltham Forest 1 
			 Wandsworth 2 
			 Warwickshire 5 
			 West Sussex 8 
			 Wiltshire 2 
			 Windsor and Maidenhead 1 
			 Wolverhampton 1 
			 Worcestershire 5 
			 Total 248 
			  Source: CSCI registration and inspection database

Chlamydia: Screening

Michael Penning: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 26 November 2007,  Official Report, columns 235-6W, on Chlamydia: screening, when he plans to establish his Department's development priorities for sexual health payment by results; whether these development priorities will be published; what newly emerging recommendations have been made in relation to sexual health payment by results by interested parties, other than the Health Protection Agency; and if he will make a statement.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department will publish its response to the 'Options for the Future of Payment by Results: 2008-09 to 2010-11' consultation in January 2008.
	When we publish the Department's response to the consultation we will be making available electronically all the replies to the consultation, so it will be possible to see what respondents have said on sexual health. We will also provide an update on the progress of payment development sites, which are piloting new classifications and currencies for services such sexual health.

Departmental Christmas

Malcolm Bruce: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether it is his Department's policy to use  (a) incandescent light bulbs and  (b) LED lights for festive decorations on departmental premises.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department has a mix of incandescent and LED lighting for its Christmas tree decorations used in departmental premises. When the trees are removed the supplier retains the lights, tests and reuses them.

Departmental Internet

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what amendments have been made to Wikipedia entries from computers with departmental IP addresses in the last 12 months.

Ben Bradshaw: Using information available from the Wikipedia site, between 22 August 2005 and 3 August 2007, there has been close to 1,500 occasions when the Department's IP address has been associated with the creation or amendment of entries on the Wikipedia website.
	Information on which particular entries have been amended is not held by the Department and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Departmental Public Participation

Roger Gale: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken to consult service users and their families on Valuing People Now.

Ivan Lewis: The consultation 'Valuing People now: from progress to transformation—a consultation on the next three years of learning disability policy', is open to service users and their families to respond. It is also available in easy read format. The deadline for response is 28 March 2008 after which time we will be collating responses to inform future policy development.
	The valuing people support team within the Care Services Improvement Partnership are working with local groups including learning disability partnership boards to support locally led consultation events.
	Copies of the consultation papers are available in the Library.

Departmental Supply Estimates

Oliver Letwin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the Winter Supplementary Estimates (HC 29), if he will break down his Department's  (a) main estimate and  (b) winter supplementary estimate provision by subhead in (i) near cash and (ii) non-cash terms.

Ben Bradshaw: The Department did not seek Parliament's approval to a Winter Supplementary Estimate. Near-cash and non-cash are essentially used as departmental expenditure limit (DEL) budgetary control concepts and are not specifically identified with voted resources in Estimates. However, we have been able to break down net total resources for each section in the Part II: Subhead detail table of our main estimates as follows:
	
		
			   Resource DEL £000) 
			  Main Estimates 2007-08  Near-cash  Non-cash 
			  RfRl Securing health care for those who need it   
			 Strategic health authority and primary care trust unified budgets and central allocations(1) 80,904,795 3,537,004 
			 Pharmaceutical services 1,059,345 0 
			 Prescription charges -451,845 0 
			 General ophthalmic services 379,000 0 
			 Strategic health authorities and primary care trust grants to local authorities(1) 248,788 0 
			
			  RfR2: Securing social care and child protection for those who need it and at national level, protecting, promoting and improving the nation's health   
			 Central department 217,173 19,223 
			 National Health Service Purchasing and Supplies Authority 28,222 765 
			 Other services including medical, scientific and technical services, grants to voluntary bodies, research and development and information services 305,880 0 
			 Welfare food and European Economic Area and other countries medical costs 321,500 428,492 
			 Other personal social services 179,581 0 
			 Medicines and Healthcare Product Regulatory Agency interest on loans -1 0 
			 AIDS support grant(1) 16,500 0 
			 Services for people with a mental illness including service under the mental capacity act 147,525 0 
			 Carers' grant 185,000 0 
			 Preserved rights grant 275,248 0 
			 National training strategy 107,859 0 
			 Access and systems capacity grant 546,000 0 
			 Human resources development strategy 49,750 0 
			 Children and adolescents mental health grants 90,539 0 
			 Delayed discharge grant 100,000 0 
			 Assistive technology: older people 50,000 0 
			 Prevention service pilots: older people 40,000 0 
			 Individual budget pilots 6,000 0 
			 (1) The near-cash and non-cash elements for some subheads do not add up to the voted provision since the Estimate also includes provision for capital grants which are part of the capital DEL.

Drugs: Rehabilitation

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much funding was provided for drug treatment and rehabilitation in Wakefield district in each of the last five years.

Dawn Primarolo: The information has been set out in the following table:
	
		
			   Total Wakefield funding for drug treatment and drugs intervention programme (DIP delivery )( 3)  Money allocated for drug treatment residential rehabilitation( 4) 
			 2003-04(1) 3,098,859 40,000 
			 2004-05(1) 3,567,151 40,000 
			 2005-06(1) 4,128,396 50,000 
			 2006-072 4,488,018 52,000 
			 2007-082 4,645,343 84,400 
			 (1) Figures taken from the 2006-07 treatment plan.  (2) Figures taken from the 2007-08 treatment plan.  (3) Total funding for drug treatment and drug intervention programmes (DIP) delivery includes pooled treatment budget allocation, mainstream funding (in Wakefield 'mainstream' funding includes financial contributions from police, local authority, Primary Care Trust and probation) and young people budgets.  (4) These figures represent ring-fenced amount the Wakefield partnership identifies for drug treatment residential rehabilitation within the annual treatment plan. This ring fenced pot is accessed by the partnership on an individual needs basis. As a result, the money allocated for drug treatment residential rehabilitation may be amended through the year based on demand.   Source:  National Treatment Agency

East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust: Hospitals

Hugh Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals there are in the  (a) East Kent hospitals NHS trust area and  (b) Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS trust area; how many bed spaces there are in each hospital in each area; and how many cases of clostridium difficile there were in each such hospital in (i) 2004, (ii) 2005 and (iii) 2006.

Ann Keen: holding answer 14 January 2008
	There are five hospitals in the East Kent hospitals NHS trust. These are Buckland hospital, Kent and Canterbury hospital, Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother hospital, Royal Victoria hospital and William Harvey hospital.
	There are three main hospitals in the Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS trust. These are Maidstone hospital, Pembury hospital and Kent and Sussex hospital. In addition to the listed sites the trust also provides services at Crowborough War Memorial hospital, Hawkhurst hospital and Uckfield hospital.
	The data for bed spaces is not held centrally.
	The data for Clostridium difficile is only held at trust level. The following table shows the data held for each trust for the over-65s only.
	
		
			   Number of C. difficile cases reported in patients aged 65 years and over 
			   2004  2005  2006 
			 East Kent hospitals NHS trust 638 705 528 
			 Maidstone and Tunbridge Wells NHS trust 484 464 545

General Practitioners: Standards

Stephen O'Brien: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of general practitioners' premises were above minimum standards on the most recent date for which figures are available in  (a) England and  (b) each primary care trust area; and what percentage in each primary care trust area failed to meet minimum standards through not complying with the requirements of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.

Ben Bradshaw: Details of the minimum standards for general practitioner (GP) practice premises are set out in Schedule 1 of The National Health Service (General Medical Services—Premises Costs) (England) Directions 2004, a copy of which has been placed in the Library. Compliance with these standards is a matter for local primary care trusts (PCT) and each make their own arrangements for undertaking this assessment.
	The most recent relevant data collected centrally was a snapshot return as at 31 March 2005 which was provided by PCTs. It has not been collected centrally since then. A copy was placed in the Library on 12 May 2006. The data are now almost three years out of date and do not reflect the investment in primary care premises that has taken place in the intervening period.
	New premises that fully satisfy minimum standards are being provided under the NHS Local Finance Investment Trust (NHS LIFT) initiative. Some £1.3 billion in private sector capital has already been injected into GP premises and community facilities across the country with 45 NHS LIFT schemes established and another three in procurement. This has, to date, delivered 149 new buildings open to patients with another 61 under construction.
	The NHS ProCure21 initiative has also provided premises that fully satisfy minimum standards. Over £221 million has already been invested in 49 GP and community facilities across England. Of that amount, 28 projects with a value of £98 million have been completed and 21 projects with a value of £123 million are currently in the early stages of development.

Hospitals: Cleaning Services

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether a deep cleaning plan has been submitted to the East of England strategic health authority in respect of  (a) Peterborough district hospital and  (b) Edith Cavell hospital; and if he will make a statement.

Boris Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals and what percentage of wards at each hospital in Greater London have undergone a deep clean as a measure against hospital acquired infections since 24 September 2007.

Andrew Lansley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health which hospitals have  (a) had at least one ward deep-cleaned and  (b) been fully deep-cleaned.

Ann Keen: holding answer 14 January 2008
	All trusts were required to submit and agree their deep clean plans with primary care trusts and providers in their area by 14 December 2007 and this process has been monitored and assessed by strategic health authorities (SHAs). An interim local progress report about the implementation of deep cleans will be published by SHAs shortly. All deep cleans will be complete by the end of March 2007.

Mental Health Services

Paul Rowen: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the level of demand for NHS services for dual-diagnosis patients who abuse substances and have a mental illness; what assessment he has made of whether that demand is being met; and what plans he has for future provision of services.

Dawn Primarolo: The Department has undertaken a substantial programme of work to ensure that the needs of this group are met. The implementation of this has been supported by substantial increases in funding across the NHS over the past 10 years and specific funding increases for substance misuse services through the introduction of the pooled drug treatment budget, which has tripled in size since it was introduced in 2001 (£129 million to £398 million in 2007-08).
	Examples of work undertaken to support improvements in this area include:
	In the "Mental Health Policy Implementation Guide: Dual Diagnosis Good Practice Guide" (Department of Health, 2002) it was made clear that people who have both drugs misuse and mental health problems need high quality, patient focused and integrated care, which should be delivered within mental health services. It charged local implementation teams in partnership with drug action teams with implementing the policy requirements.
	The 2002 Good Practice guide alongside guidance published in 2006, "Dual diagnosis in inpatient and day hospital settings" represents a summary of current Government policy on this issue. The key message is the need for mainstreaming—the recognition that substance misuse is usual rather than exceptional among people with mental health problems, and that the relationship between the two is complex.
	The updated "Drug Misuse and dependence - UK guidelines on clinical management" (the 'clinical guidelines'), published in September 2007 identifies that patients in drug treatment services with common mental illness problems additional to their drug misuse are often treated in drug treatment services, although clarity on competencies and shared care models is important. For all those with mental health problems, it is important that competent practitioners make adequate assessment and appropriate treatment organised.
	Proper assessment is the key to establishing a comprehensive care plan for dual diagnosis. Adequate risk assessment of mental health should be undertaken at initiation of treatment and at appropriate times during management. Specific psychological management in line with appropriate guidance, such as National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and other psychiatric and drug misuse guidelines can then be provided.

Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: Clostridium

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of clostridium difficile were reported in the Peterborough and Stamford hospitals NHS foundation trust in each month in 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Ann Keen: Information is not available in the format requested. However, the following table shows the number of clostridium difficile reports for patients aged 2 to 64 year and for those patients aged 65 and over at Peterborough and Stamford hospitals NHS foundation trust (which is the latest data available).
	
		
			  C. difficile reports for patients 
			   Number 
			  Aged >65 years  
			 January to March 2007 63 
			 April to June 2007 54 
			  Aged 2-64 years  
			 April to June 2007 2

Peterborough and Stamford Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust: Orthopaedics

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average waiting time was for elective orthopaedic surgery in the Peterborough and Stamford hospitals NHS foundation trust in each month in 2007; and if he will make a statement.

Ivan Lewis: Information is not available in the format requested. However, the following table shows the average time waited by patients for in-patient treatment for trauma and orthopaedics for 2007 at Peterborough and Stamford hospital NHS foundation trust (this is the latest data available).
	
		
			  Month end as at 2007  Median waiting time (weeks) 
			 January 13.1 
			 February 14.6 
			 March 15 
			 April 14.9 
			 May 15 
			 June 14.3 
			 July 13.2 
			 August 12.4 
			 September 12.1 
			 October 11.8 
			 November 10.6 
			 December will be published on 1 February 2008 
			  Source: MMRPROV—Monthly Monitoring Return

Education: Cleethorpes

Shona McIsaac: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what percentage of 18 to 24-year-olds in Cleethorpes constituency were in full-time education in each year since 1997.

Bill Rammell: Annual average estimates of the proportion of people in full-time education by age are available at a local level from the annual population survey (APS) and its predecessors the local labour force survey (LLFS) and the labour force survey local area data base (LFS LADB). Estimates for Cleethorpes for 18-24 year-olds for 2006 and back to 2000 are shown in the following table. The data is not available for earlier years at constituency level. These small area estimates are based on very small samples and are therefore subject to high sampling variability. They should therefore be treated with caution and in particular changes from year to year should not be used in isolation from the figures for a run of years. Regional and national estimates have been shown for comparison. These are available back to 1997.
	
		
			  Percentage of 18-24 year-olds( 1)  in full-time education 
			   Cleethorpes  Yorkshire and the Humber  England 
			 1997-98(2) n/a 23 24 
			 1998-99(2) n/a 25 25 
			 1999-00(2) n/a 26 26 
			 2000-01(3) 16 24 26 
			 2001-02(3) 19 24 26 
			 2002-03(3) 24 28 26 
			 2003-04(3) 18 27 27 
			 2004(4) 17 28 27 
			 2005(4) 16 30 28 
			 2006(4) 21 24 27 
			 n/a = Not available.  (1) Based on age as at the time of the survey.  (2) LFS LADB estimates based on the average of the 12 months from March to the following February.  (3) LLFS estimates based on the average of the 12 months from March to the following February.  (4 )APS estimates are for the average of the calendar year from January to December.

Higher Education: Cumbria

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills what percentage of young people who left school at the age of 18 years in  (a) Cumbria and  (b) Copeland entered (i) higher education and (ii) further education in 2007.

Bill Rammell: The information requested is as follows:
	 (i) Higher education:
	The main measure for tracking progress on increasing participation in higher education is currently the higher education initial participation rate (HEIPR). This is the sum of the HE initial participation rates for individual ages between 17 and 30 inclusive. It covers English-domiciled first time entrants to HE courses, which are expected to last for at least six months, at UK higher education institutions and English, Scottish and Welsh further education colleges, and who remain on their course for at least six months. The earliest figure is 39.3 per cent. for 1999-2000 and the latest available figure is 42.8 per cent. for 2005-06.
	Equivalent figures for 18-year-olds only are 19.3 per cent. for 1999-2000 and 21.3 per cent. for 2005-06.
	Figures for 2006-07 will become available in 2008. The HEIPR is not disaggregated below national level
	HEFCE's 'Young participation in Higher Education' publication includes the proportion of young people who enter higher education at age 18 or 19 by parliamentary constituency, although this only covers the years up to 2000. Participation rates based on this work are given on the supporting POLAR website (www.hefce.ac.uk/polar).
	For England: these indicate that, for the cohort reaching 18 in 1997, the proportion of young people in England who entered higher education at age 18 or 19 was 29 per cent. For the cohort reaching 18 in 2000, the proportion of young people in England who entered higher education at age 18 or 19 was 30 per cent.
	For Cumbria: these indicate that, for the cohort reaching 18 in 1997, the proportion of young people from Cumbria who entered higher education at age 18 or 19 was 27 per cent.
	For the cohort reaching 18 in 2000, the proportion of young people from Cumbria who entered higher education at age 18 or 19 was 28 per cent.
	For Copeland: for the cohort reaching 18 in 1997, the proportion of young people from Copeland who entered higher education at age 18 or 19 was 22 per cent. For the cohort reaching 18 in 2000, the proportion of young people from Copeland who entered higher education at age 18 or 19 was 23 per cent.
	 (ii) Further  e ducation
	The Department's estimates of the proportion of young people in education and training at a local level are only available for young people of academic age 16 and 17. Figures for 18-year-olds-are not available.
	The proportion of 16 and 17-year-olds in Cumbria who were in education or work-based learning at the end of 2005 was 84 per cent. This compares to 76 per cent. in England overall. Figures are not available for Copeland.
	Further information can be found at the following link:
	http://www.dfes.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s000734/index.shtml

Student Loans Company: Complaints

Martin Horwood: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills how many complaints have been received by the Student Loans Company on loan repayments made via HM Revenue and Customs not being recorded by the Student Loans Company or appearing on Student Loans Company statements in each of the last 12 months for which figures are available.

Bill Rammell: The Student Loans Company's (SLC) data on complaints does not record this level of detail. The SLC received a total of 343 complaints about the Income Contingent Loan scheme in the year ending 30 November 2007, details of which are set out in the following table.
	Within the total number of complaints, the SLC have categorised 109 as being about deductions taken, although a number of complaints recorded under other categories may also relate to loan repayment deductions. In addition HMRC receives and responds to MP enquiries on behalf of individual borrowers where there is a mismatch between deductions taken and annual statements. The number made in 2006-07 was 41; for 2007-08 it stands at 21 to date.
	
		
			  Complaints received by SLC about ICL repayments 
			   Category of complaint 
			   Deductions taken  Incorrect advice via telephone or correspondence  Misunderstood scheme  System/clerical error  Total 
			  2006  
			 December 10 0 5 7 22 
			   
			  2007  
			 January 10 1 13 8 32 
			 February 10 3 20 8 41 
			 March 9 2 19 3 33 
			 April 7 1 11 5 24 
			 May 15 1 18 8 42 
			 June 8 0 12 9 29 
			 July 9 1 20 7 37 
			 August 11 1 17 4 33 
			 September 1 1 2 0 4 
			 October 2 0 4 3 9 
			 November 17 0 7 13 37 
			 Total 109 11 148 75 343

Driving Offences: Surrey

Humfrey Malins: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how many persons in Surrey were  (a) convicted for speeding and  (b) received a fixed penalty for speeding in each of the last five years for which figures are available;
	(2)  how many persons in Surrey were convicted of drink driving in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Maria Eagle: Available information from 2001 to 2005 (latest available) is provided in the following table.
	2006 data will be available later this year.
	
		
			  Fixed penalty notices issued( 1) , findings of guilt at all courts for speeding( 2)  and driving etc. after consuming alcohol or taking drugs( 3)  within Surrey police force area, 2001 to 2005 
			   2001  2002  2003  2004  2005 
			 Total found guilty at all courts for speed limit offences 3,478 2,021 1,508 (4)287 2,886 
			 Total fixed penalty notices issued for speed limit offences 10,424 6,052 7,057 8,200 (5)17,509 
			 Total found guilty at all courts for drink-driving offences 1,592 1,614 1,464 1,425 1,503 
			 (1) Only covers notices paid where there is no further action. (2) Offences under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 and the Motor Vehicles (Speed Limits on Motorways) Regs 1973. (3) Data covers summary offences of driving etc. after consuming alcohol or taking drugs (which cannot reliably be distinguished separately). (4) The Court Proceedings database from which this figure is derived only hold 344 prosecutions in 2004 for this offence. (5) Safety Camera Partnership went live in the force area on 1 April 2005.  Notes: 1. It is known that for some police force areas, the reporting of court proceedings in particular summary motoring offences, is less than complete. 2. Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative systems generated by the courts. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used.

Trade Unions: Complaints

Jonathan Djanogly: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform how many complaints about trades unions the Certification Officer received in each year since 2002; what the substance was of each complaint; and how many the Certification Officer responded to.

Patrick McFadden: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Horsham (Mr. Maude) on 19 November 2007,  Official Report, column 487. That answer gave details on the numbers of complaints accepted by the Certification Officer and determined in each year since 2002. The Certification Officer responds to all complaints he receives about trades unions. All decisions made by the Certification Officer after 2001 and a selection of key decisions made before are available on the Certification Officer's website wwwxcertoffice.org. Those decisions provide detail on the substance of complaints.